


The Artist

by FourChevrons



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Romance, isabelle is older than alec, teen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-24 03:55:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8356084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FourChevrons/pseuds/FourChevrons
Summary: Jace Herondale finds a new vandalism in his Biology desk every Tuesday and Friday for a month now. Except the vandalism isn't a bad word or a penis drawn, they were put there by skillful hands. Jace is drawn to the artist by the sketches she left. While his bestfriend ,Alec, is after a certain senior year party thrower named Magnus Bane.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For my dad; the only artist I love.

There was a new addition to the growing number of drawings on his usual desk during Biology. It was a hydrangea this time, its petals shaded skillfully.

Jace Herondale pinned his eyes to a pair of cat eyes drawn on the corner of the wooden desk. It was the first of the wonderful vandalisms that was in front of him. They started appearing last month, there was always a new one every Tuesday and Friday as if the artist had Biology classes on those days.

Jace always wondered who drew these. The drawings spoke to him as if the artist was anchoring him.

 _Weird_. He thought to himself.

Biology passed and lunch came. His bestfriend, Alec, sat across him, looking surprisingly ecstatic.

"I hope you didn't fall for one of those 'It's just a regular brownie.' prank." Jace said, putting his half eaten sandwich down.

He actually knew that Alec wouldn't but sometimes he just gotta make sure. Ever since that Sophomore wild night where Alec thought the smoke didn't contain marijuana and he actually took two of them. Alec nearly spewed his sexual orientation back then if Isabelle hadn't _accidentally_ stepped on him with her seven inch heels.

Alec shook his head and his blue eyes twinkled. "No, no. Magnus Bane is having a party at Brooklyn tomorrow night." he hissed.

The blonde sighed. "It's so far. Besides we have football practice later."

"But the game isn't in three months. Coach would understand." Alec practically whined.

"By the Angel, how long have you been pining this Magnus? A year? The man is a Senior, he's gonna leave soon." Jace reminded him.

Leaning forward, Alex said "Just give me this one party and if nothing happens i'll forget him."

Utter bullshit. His bestfriend was head over heels for the glittery fellow and he knew he wouldn't stop. But he still agreed with Alec. Then a flower flashed in Jace's mind. And he straightened up.

"There's a new one again, a hydrangea this time."

"Is there any more space in your desk for your artist to draw?" Alec pondered.

_My artist._

Jace nodded. "Plenty more. These drawings aren't ordinary. They're tugging at me for something."

His bestfriend raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, well. Is Jace Herondale having feelings for this unknown lady?"

"Don't get your hopes up. It might be a He too, you know." But there's a big fat chance that it's a She based on the feminine handwriting the artist left on one of her sketches.

"Very well then. Aline Penhallow is checking you out." Alec looked behind Jace and smiled to himself.

 Alec loved seeing girls and also some boys trip over the sight of Jace. The reactions never cease to amaze him.

Jace turned around and threw a wink at Aline. She was redder than any apple.

When Jace faced Alec again, he wore a smirk. Alec threw his sandwich at him.

-

 

"Let me get this straight, you two are skipping practice because there's a party in Brooklyn." Coach Hodge repeated, looking serious as ever.

The two Juniors nodded their heads.

"I thought I just annouced that we have a game going on." Coach Hodge said.

"You did, Coach." Alec said.

"Then why on earth are your heads on a party and not on our match?" The coach nearly shouted, the whole field was staring at them.

Nothing unusual. For Juniors, Jace and Alec are known all around the campus because of their one of the greatest players in the football team and they're good looking.

"C'mon Coach, the game's in December. Just excuse us this one training and we'll be back on our feet." Jace placed an arm around Coach Hodge.

Coach Hodge rolled his eyes at the gesture. "What's the big deal with this party?"

"Magnus Bane is throwing it." Alec said breathlessly.

When Magnus Bane throws a party, its bound to be the greatest and everyone loves his parties, even the faculty.

"Oh." Coach Hodge expression changed into realization. "Have fun, boys."

And with that the man before them ordered the team to do some warm ups which was a ten round jog around the whole field.

"Thanks, Coach." They said in unison and started to plan the evening before them.

-

 

They haven't reached the party yet and it's already starting to be a travesty. Alec has begun panicking at every thing.

"Alec! Stop twitching and babbling and try to not sweat. If you sweat any further it's bound to leave stains soon. And that is not going to help you with Magnus." Jace snapped and gave him a slap.

Alec yelped. "You aren't helping!"

And he said to the taxi driver "Stop the cab please."

"No, do not stop the cab." Jace ordered.

The old driver looked confused as to who he will follow but continued to drive.

"Please Jace, this was a mistake. I can't do it." He begged.

Jace patted Alec repeatedly on the back. "You said to give you one last chance tonight and you're throwing it away."

"I just have no confidence for Magnus. I thought it was easy tonight." He covered his face with his hands.

"I have an idea." Was all Jace said before he was dialing someone.

"Jace?" Isabelle answered.

He looked at the sky now. It was nearly dark which means the party would start soon.

"Izzy, we need your help. Your brother Alec is being a coward in love and he is panicking in facing his long time crush."

"Magnus Bane again." Isabelle said, in the background it sounded like she was busy.

"Yeah."

"See you there. Keep him as calm as you can." And she hung up.

Jace faced Alec who was now glowering at him.

"Isabelle is on her way."

"I am not a coward!" He yelled and tackled Jace.

As Jace was being attacked by his bestfriend, he apologized silently to Isabelle for not keeping her brother calm.

-

 

The cab stopped infront of a white apartment building and few teenagers were scattered outside.

Alec who became silent after the tackle was now showing nervousness again, atleast he wasn't sweating heavily anymore.

"Don't overthink, at least until we meet with Izzy." Jace told him while paying the driver and apologized for earlier.

They stepped out and were greeted with eyes glued to them, eyes that were wandering away from their face and somewhere else.

Jace wore his black skinny jeans and white V-neck shirt that clung to his body very well judging by the stares. While Alec looking nerve wrecked in a button up black shirt and jeans. He looked well if only he wasn't as pale as a ghost and his lips were chapped.

"Where's Isabelle?" Alec asked.

Jace was about to say Izzy was already inside but caught a glimpse of jet black hair in the sidewalk. As he looked to the right there she was. Isabelle in a little black dress and hair curled at the ends, she wore her trademark heels as always.

"She's right there." Jace pointed and Alec followed.

Isabelle approached them. "Hello boys. Alec you need to loosen up, party hasn't started yet." Looking at her younger brother in concern and shaking him lightly.

"Question is, how do we get Alec to loosen up?" Jace ran a hand through his golden hair.

Isabelle lit up. She fished out from her clutch a vial, it looked like water but Jace knew better. Alec clearly wasn't paying attention, was looking at his shoes. Isabelle exchanged a look with Jace and Jace nodded.

"Alec, darling. How do you feel about tonight?" Isabelle said, hiding the vial in her grip.

The man snapped his head up. "Nervous, like I-i already know i'm gonna embarra-" Isabelle cut Alec off.

"Alec! Dis you even brush your teeth?" She exclaimed.

Alec looked worried and smelled his breath. "Uh yeah, I did. Why? Do I have bad breath? By the Angel, I do. Don't I?" He rambled.

Jace stayed silent. He knew Alex brushes his teeth twice whenever there was a party with Magnus or just nervous.

"You do, it smells horrible. Lucky for you I have my emergency liquid." Isabelle showed the vial. Alec, not himself at the moment, didn't hesitate to snatch it out of Izzy's grip and drink the whole vial ignoring Isabelle's protests.

And a moment later Alec was flushed with energy. "I feel brilliant. Better!" He announced. "Come on, there's a party!"

Jace and Isabelle looked at each other warily and followed Alec.

"What was that?" Jace asked, keeping his voice low enough for Alec to not hear.

"A drug I mixed with water. It's very strong, Alec took a lot and he'll be giddy and energetic and pumped up tonight but tomorrow he'll be shitty." Isabelle was worried, slightly. She loved parties more than anything, her little brother wouldn't stand in the way of ruining her night. "Take care of him, Jace."

Without noticing they had entered the building and climbed the first landing, they were already in Magnus' new party venue and before Jace could respond, Isabelle had already vanished into the mix of bodies dancing. Alec grinned as he saw Magnus at the bar across the made up dancefloor and squeezed between the crowd. Jace sighed and followed him.

Ofcourse there was the usual grasping and touching and oh how Jace hated it. As he stepped out of the throng of people, he was met with Magnus and Alec conversing already at the bar glowing with blue lights.

"Magnus Bane, senior year student. King of Parties and All Time Sex God." Alec spoke, unabashed.

Jace slapped his forehead and was about to excuse Alec out of the conversation until Magnus, who wore his hair in spikes and was in a Fall Out Boy tank top, looked amused and laughed.

"Is that what they call me now? An 'All Time Sex God'?" Magnus conquered the space between them in two steps.

Alec grinned. It was such a weird sight for Alec to be like this, bold and outgoing.

"Yes, but I don't believe it."

Magnus cocked his head to the side. "And why not?"

"I don't believe what hasn't been proven to me, Bane." He remarked.

The senior looked interested. "And if I prove it to you?" Magnus asked.

"I'm not an easy catch." Alec said.

"I always love a blue eyed challenge, Alexander." Magnus whispered to his ear in every way sensual.

Jace cringed and mentally applauded Alex at the moment.

He left the bar area and decided to have a good time himself, he thought he saw Coach Hodge near the bong but probably was a trick of the eye.

With some tequila sunrise in his hand and his other hand holding a stranger's waist, he noticed a painting on the wall. It's not as skillful as the vandalisms on his desk, even with this unfamiliar painting put on the wall in a frame it's no match to the one he sees everyday on an old desk. It has no feeling, it doesn't pull him to the artist.

"Jace, wanna go somewhere quiet?" The girl he's holding asked. She had pixie cut hair and black eyes.

He finished his drink and pinched her side in response.

They headed for one of the three doors down the hall, there were some people vaping as usual in the first room and the second was the bathroom where someone was retching his guts out.

They turned to the last room and it was dark in the room and he led her further inside. They couldn't see a thing except for the empty bed, waiting for them.

Jace locked the door and led the girl towards the bed. Their lips clashing as they undressed each other.

-

 

**EIGHT HOURS EARLIER**

Clary Fray had received a text from her brother Jonathan mentioning their parents fighting again and that she had to stay at his place for awhile.

' _theyre at it again, stay @myplace till it cools off. ps: some friends r gunna come over._ ' The text said, she had received it during Bio.

The topic was about plants and she thought of the one they had at home and drew it on her desk, adding a new vandalism to her collection that littered the surface of the familiar desk.

During dismissal, Simon waited for her at the halls. They usually go home together but due to the new destination she's heading to, it wasn't going to happen.

"Got the news, what's Val's fault this time?" Simon said while Clary put her things back in her locker.

"Probably coming home very late because he went drinking with Luke again." She guessed, grabbing her sketchpad. It was often the reason they fought.

Simon furrowed his eyebrows. "And what's wrong with that?"

Clary shut her locker and looked at Simon seriously. "It was his turn to wash the dishes last night."

"Oh shit. Guess you'll be staying with Jonathan for a while. Do you have clothes there and your lady needs?" Simon looked at her through his glasses.

"Actually, I don't have my lady stuff there. I'll head back home for them." Clary held Simon's arm and left school.

They got on a bus and talked about Simon's plan to join the music fest with Zucchini Bikini.

"You are changing your band name, young man." Clary ordered.

Simon stuck his tongue out. "Make me. It's a good name, you know. Catchy. They'll remember us."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Fool."

"Did you know, Isabelle is planning to go to Yale?" Simon has had a long time crush on Isabelle.

Simon knew she was out of his league and so he'd pine on her and stare at her from afar like a creep. Watching her make nearly all the boys bow down to her.

"Really? She is smart." She commented.

Isabelle really is, she had all AP classes and is a co captain of the cheerleading team.

Simon nodded dreamily. Clary swatted his head.

"Are you going to make a move on her or what?" Clary asked.

Simon thought about it. "If there is an opportunity, why not."

"Good choice."

And the bus halted at their stop. They got off and parted ways.

Nobody was home when Clary packed her things. The apartment was silent and she noticed the dishes were still on the sink, she muttered "immature parents" under her breath and started washing them. The pile was bigger than the night before but nonetheless, Clary did them all.

Before leaving, she left a note for both of her parents on the kitchen counter saying ' _I did the dishes and I'm staying at Jonathan's until you have settled down_ '.

She arrived at her brother's place in two hours. She was greeted by Jonathan who was placing a big speaker in the corner of the room and had boxes of alcohol.

"Ah, there you are. Help me with this infernal event." He was sweating and gestured in the air.

Clary narrowed her eyes. "What event?"

"Just a party with few friends. Don't stand there, help me." He grunted as he placed the massive speaker on the ground.

"You didn't tell me you were throwing a party." She raised her voice, Clary was a lot of things but she was never a party person since Pandemonium.

Her brother moved across the room to unpack the dozens of bottled alcohol. "It's not my party, my friend's just hosting it here. Besides, I texted you."

"You told me a few of your friends were coming over, that was it." She displayed her phone to him, irritated.

Jonathan's face was blank. "Well, my bad. You can just hole up in your room."

She stalked to her room, ignoring her brother's pleas to assist him, and unpacked.

She sat on the chair and begun to draw in her sketchpad. Minutes later, seeing that her drawing was a failure, the exhaustion from school, the dishes and the travel to this apartment, took over her and she drifted into a heavy slumber.

 

-

**NOW**

"Fuck, yeah. You're so good, right there." Clary awoke to the sound of a woman moaning and hips thrusting.

Clary bolted upright and witnessed a horrific sight. There on her bed were two teenagers screwing. She could see the guy was blonde and his toned ass was exposed and the girl had her legs wrapped around him.

"What the fuck!" She screamed in shock.

The two were surprised and scrambled away from each other. The guy was pulling up his pants and the girl was grabbing her clothes.

Clary didn't wait for them to see her, she took her phone from the desk and ran to the door.

The apartment was crowded and Kanye was blasting through the speakers. She desperately wanted to dissolve. Looking for a way to escape, the entrance was blocked by a throng of people. She recognized a lot of them.

_Is that the football team coach doing a round on a bong?_

There was Isabelle socializing with her girlfriends, Maia playing Xbox with some other people, Magnus grinding with someone black haired.

Clary saw the bar and decided to take a seat. Clary checked on her phone and saw 4 new messages from Simon.

_Clary why is Magnus throwing a party at ur place?_

_Hey im going_

_Holy shit isabelles here._

_where are u?_

Clary searched the crowd for Simon, she spotted him heading for the hallway. Then images of the flesh he had seen intertwined together flashed on her mind.

Clary dashed to him, pushing past people and apologizing. She caught up with him.

"Simon!" She called him, his hand wrapped around her door's knob.

Simon twirled to see her. "I thought you were here." He motioned to the door.

"Where were you?" Clary led him away from the door hastily and told him about the incident. He laughed so hard.

"Oh my God! Who were they?"

"I didn't see, the guy was blonde and well, he had a nice ass." She confessed, cheeks flushed.

Simon was looking at her with his hand covering his grinning mouth, and then behind her.

"Thanks for the compliment." An arrogant voice said behind Clary.

Clary slowly turned around and faced a smirking blonde stranger. He looked familiar as if he goes to her school.

"You had sex on my bed." Clary spat.

"And so?" He neared her. Clary fumed inside.

"I demand you to change the bedsheets." The guy laughed.

"How about no. We didn't know it was your bed and what were you doing in there spying on us?"

' _The audacity he had to blame me for something I did not do. Fucktard._ ' The redhead thought.

Clary curled her fists. "I wasn't spying. I fell asleep on the desk and woke up t-t-to that!" She threw her hands in the air in annoyance.

The blonde was as calm as the ocean. He looked like he was enjoying her fury. "Then why didn't you sleep on the bed? That would have prevented this mishap from happening."

"I was tired. Just change the bedsheets." She commanded him.

"No." And he walked away leaving a furious Clary stewing in silence.

She could have sworn there was the ghost of a smile on his lips.

-

 

"I can't believe you drugged me. Both of you." Alec hissed and pulled his hood lower to cover his red bloodshot eyes.

They were in the canteen on lunch time. It was obvious who attended the party last night, there were students who slept heavily with their hoods pulled up like Alec, there were people eating eggs to cure the hangover, and ofcourse there were students who missed first period or even second, just to have more sleep or time to recover themselves.

"Well atleast you grinded on Magnus' dingdong." Isabelle pointed out, with a cinnamon in hand.

Jace guffawed and agreed with Isabelle.

"'All Time Sex God.'" Jace teased Alec.

The two laughed while Alec wished he could disappear.

"Word around here is you got caught banging last night. Left you hard?" Isabelle grinned at Jace. She was wearing a black croptop and high waisted jeans and boots.

Jace groaned. "Sadly, yes. That red head chick ruined it." He remembered those burning green eyes directed to him.

"Who is she?" Isabelle asked.

Jace shrugged. "Don't know, haven't seen her around."

He remembered her demand to change the bedsheets and smiled. So demanding and so small. It was hard to take her seriously.

Isabelle left and joined her girlfriends while Alec slept the whole day.

Football practice was cancelled because the coach was 'sick'. Alec headed home with Isabelle to rest some more and Jace went to the library.

He grabbed a book that caught his attention, something about a fat chick and an asian dude being in love. Ella and Wong. He sat down and read for a while.

When he took a break he noticed the familiar vandalism on the wooden table, next to the book. It was the skyline of New York. He traced his fingers on the drawing. His fingertips traced the lines of the skyscrapers, the spire of the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge and it felt like the drawing was meant for him. Like it was a part of him.

"Closing time!" The librarian announced.

Jace sharply withdrew his hand and returned Ella and Wong back to its place.

On the way home he passed by a store and he remembers the red head. He grins and enters the shop.

-

 

"Clary!" Her brother yelled.

She took her earphones off and walked to the living room.

"What?" She asked.

Jonathan was carrying what looked like blankets and his face was serious.

"Somebody left _these_ for you." He gave it to her.

It wasn't blankets, they were bedsheets. And there was a note. 'Sorry for the sex. Here's new ones, redhead midget. ;) - nice ass guy' Clary could feel her cheeks heat up.

"It's not what it looks like!" she defended.

"Sure thing, little sister. Just wear condoms you know, the early withdrawal doesn't always work." Jonathan gave her pat on the shoulder and went back to playing Xbox.

"I wish the ground would swallow me up." She whispered, clutching the bedsheets tightly.

Before she could enter her room Jonathan spoke. "Clary, always swallow!"

She shut her door loudly and cursed the blonde who had a nice rear.

-

 

Friday came and there before Jace's eyes was a new vandalism. A woman whose collarbone had a smudged line. It gave Jace the feeling of relief that the artist drew. Relief that she sat here. Relief that she is here. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He unlocked it and saw Alec's message.

_Magnus wants me to go on a date. What should i say?_

Jace replied. _Obviously say yes. Isnt this what u wanted?_

Alec texted instantly. _Yes yes i will. Stupid me. Thanks_

The rest of the day went by and Magnus joined them for lunch and they were invited to a gallery opening as a date. Jace had to bring a plus one.

He approached Aline at her table. Her friends eyes darting at him and then to Aline, she acts surprised seeing him but Jace knows it all.

"Aline, do you want to be my date for an event tomorrow night?" Jace asks smoothy, so suave, so confident. Jace saw her friend mouth "say yes, bitch!" and the other one giving her a thumbs up.

 _ **So** subtle_. Jace thought.

Aline was grinning. "Yes, I'd love that."

"Great, I'll pick you up at 8." And with a wink at the flushing girl, he went back to Alec and Magnus who was busy laughing. Probably making fun of the girls' reactions.

"You guys are being mean." Jace said, eating his carbonara.

The two looked at him shocked. "We aren't, _you're_ being mean. You stop being a flirt to girls and stop leading them on. Find someone you really like, find someone who makes you feel something." Alec said, meaning every word. Magnus smiled at Alec. That smile assured Jace that his bestfriend was in the right hands if Magnus Bane. He wished he had someone like that.

"Alexander Lightwood is correct." Magnus said. There _is_ someone who makes Jace feel something but he doesn't know who she is.

The artist.

-

 

Clary left school early to fix her piece at the gallery. The opening was tomorrow night and she was nervous. Her parents couldn't attend because of work and her brother was well, useless. She took a cab to TriBeCa and on the way she thought to herself. As a congratulatory present from her parents, she was allowed to have one tattoo. At first she wanted for it to be on her collarbone but her parents didn't agree so she begged for at least a wrist tattoo. Valentine was in a good mood that day since Jocelyn had forgiven him for the dishes. Clary had moved back to their apartment. He had said yes but only if it was small and Clary obliged.

The cab stopped in front of the modern gallery. She got out and entered the building, greeting people she knew and she cleaned her painting and readied it for the opening night. Clary woke up in the middle of the night. She knew what she wanted for a tattoo. It was vivid and it felt right. She wanted it right where her pulse is.

She wanted a heron.

-

 

On the limo that Magnus had rented, the two were inseparable like two magnets. Magnus whispered things to Alec, and the blue eyed boy laughed every time. He had been happy ever since the party at the redhead's house. Drinking that vial must have been Alexander's greatest decision. The redhead, Jace never really knew her name. Not that it mattered to him but she gave him a good laugh and that cute reaction when she got mad was unique. He wondered how she reacted when she'd recieved the bedsheets.

"Magnus." He said, hating to break their moment.

"Yes?" Magnus asked.

"When you threw the party this Tuesday, whose apartment was it?" Jace questioned.

Magnus played with Alec's fingers. "Jonathan's. Why'd you ask?"

"Does he have a sister?"

"Uh yeah, he mentioned it. Clary Fray. She goes to our school and she's also a junior. Why?" Magnus said. Clary Fray.

"Nothing, I made her mad." He shrugged.

Magnus laughed. "Clary barely gets mad. What you did must have been heavy."

 _Not really. The pixie haired girl was as light as a feather_. Jace joked in his mind.

"Yeah, punishable offense to human rights." Jace said.

"There's Aline, she's looking pretty." Alec looked out the window.

And there she was wearing a blue dress and black pumps. The limousine stopped in front of her. They opened the door and she entered. She saw Jace and sat beside him. Then she saw Magnus and Alec.

"Oh, I thought it was just us two." She whispered even though the two can hear it.

"Actually, they invited us to this event." Jace said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Aline nodded but was disappointed. Alec noticed this and whispered to Magnus. "I take what I said about her earlier. She's horrible." Magnus laughed.

-

 

The whole evening Aline became a bitch. Even being surrounded in a room full of art didn't help Jace forget of the whining woman beside him. In the end, he snapped at her and she left, irritated and disappointed. Jace happily wondered the gallery alone, appreciating each work of art displayed.

Nearly at the end of the tour, he discovered a tiny entrance to an alcove like area for another set of paintings, it was dark inside except for the exhibits that were lit on the wall. There were five paintings, compared to the others outside the alcove they were majestic. Jace stopped his tracks on the third painting, the one in the middle. That style. That familiar feeling of being drawn to it. That tug in his chest. It was the brightest in the room, the most stunning and breathtaking. The gold paint shined against the light, the painting illuminated. It was the face of a lion. A mighty lion with golden eyes and a look of power, danger, and beauty. Its mane was executed in delicate strokes. Jace took it all in. He drank on every detail, every corner, every shade of gold, brown and yellow. It was too much.

And there on the right corner of the painting, between two tuffs of the lion's brown mane was the name of the artist.  

 ** _'_** ** _Clary Fray '_**  

His heart skipped a beat. Flashes of the flame colored hair, and those burning green eyes ran in his mind. Clary was the artist. She drew those on his desk, she made him feel that connection.

-

 

Clary stood in the shadows of the alcove, few entered ofocurse, it was like the gallery's little secret. She was shocked when that blonde from the party entered. Here, now, in this section of the gallery.

 _Why is he here?_   The question was on her mind.

She didn't move as he neared her work and stopped. He stayed there far too long, he didn't bother to look at the others. The look on his face. The way his eyes drift over it, assessing, viewing, admiring? Was it really admiration that twinkled in his eyes. He took it in, the lion, and it felt like he was looking into her soul, into its deepest depth. Clary felt naked. After his eyes saw her name they widened. His posture was different from before, stiffer. And Clary emerged from the shadows.

"You. What do you think of it?" Her voice echoed through the tiny space.

The blonde whipped his face to her and still had the look of surprise in his face. A second later it was gone and still his shoulders were stiff. "Honestly? I think it's...heartbreaking." He looked at her, whispering the last word.

"How so?" Clary glanced at the piece she did and wondered why the man thought it was heartbreaking.

Jace decided to let his fast beating heart to win this time. To speak. Even if it is to a near stranger.

 _She might have been a stranger but she is something else to you and you know it._  His mind said.

"I've been looking for you ever since you drew those cat eyes on my desk. There was a pull I felt at it and to every thing you drew I felt it too. I would wait for a new one every Tuesday and Friday and be happy that you're here, that you sat there. And I didn't know who you were that time and when I met you in the party I was dick." He paused to chuckle, running his fingers through his hair. "And now i've been thinking of replacing that feeling of loneliness. Yes, i've been with other women but there's nothing to feel. You, you made me feel and now I find this heartbreaking because it tugged at me the most like it was nearly shouting at me for something but I don't know what." He gestured at the art beside him and looked at Clary with helplessness.

He had poured his heart's content to her and it scared him. What will she say?

Clary's mind was a whirl. She didn't know she was drawing on his desk and it became a part of his life. He became attached to those tiny pieces of souls she drew. And he felt a 'connection'. This stranger felt it. She remembered how he had looked at her work like no one else did. Not Simon, not even her family. She felt bare, uncovered, revealed. What did the tug mean? And then something shined in his neck, a chain.

"What's that?" Clary pointed at it.

Jace followed her gaze and revealed a chained necklace with a golden ring. Clary neared and didn't know why but she asked, "Can I see?"

Jace wondered but complied. She held the ring and gaped as she saw the figures on it. Herons.

"It's been our family symbol long ago, we still use it." He explained, Clary felt his hot breath tickle her neck.

And without a word, she showed him her wrist. There fresh and pinkish from the tattoo shop earlier was a heron.

"I woke up in the middle of the night when I saw a Heron flash in my mind and I knew I wanted it to remain on my flesh forever." She glanced at him. And then to the bigger picture.

There he was, golden and tawny eyed like the lion's and she saw how much he resembled the lion. Even its aura had the same as his. The same glint in his eyes, the same look of danger. The same beauty. He was one with the lion and he glowed. Did her own hands paint him unintentionally?

"Maybe they were screaming for us to meet." Clary held his golden eyes which she found pleasing to look at.

"Though our first meeting wasn't delightful, was it?" Jace held a sly grin.

Clary smiled and looked away, remembering the defined bottom of the person in front of her. "Shut up."

He held up a hand, tawny eyes sparkling. "Jace. Bedsheet provider."

Clary grinned as she took his warm hand and said, "Clary. The artist."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I would like to hear your thoughts on the comment section. I'm open to your opinion. :)


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